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MAGAZINE FIRE ARM.

No. 319,595. Patented June 9, 1885.

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(N0 ModeL) H. S.'MAXIM. MAGAZINE FIRE ARM.

Patented June 9, 1885.

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ArnNr MAGAZlNE FIRE-ARM.

SPEGIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,595, dated June 9, 1885.

Application filed March 14, 1895. No model.) Patented in England June 26, 1883, No. 3,175; in France September 4, 1883, No. 156,344, and in Belgium September 6, 1881, No. 62,519.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HIRAM S. MAxIu, a citizen of the United States, residing in London, in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Arms, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the same, this application being a division of that filed by me May 27, 1884, No. 132,882, and for an invention patented by me in Great Britain June 26, 1883, No. 3,178; in France, certificate of addition, September 4, 1883, No. 156,344, and in Belgium September 6, 1883, No. 62,519.

My present invention is an improvement in automatic guns of the kind described by me in other applications, in which the several operations of feeding, loading, firing, extracting, and ejecting the cartridges are automatically performed by the explosive force of the discharge.

The said improvements relate more particularly to rifles or small arms, being designed to utilize the force of the explosion of the charge therein for automatically loading and firing the same.

The nature of the improvements will be more particularly indicated by the following description,and references to the drawings,in which.-

Figure 1 is a plan view, Fig. 2 a side elevation, and Fig. 3 a longitudinal central section, of a rifle embodying my improvements and provided with a revolving magazine or feed wheel. Fig. 4. is a longitudinal section, showing the breech-block in its rearward position. Fig. 5 is a section on the line a: m, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a section on the line y y, Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a sectional view showing the relative positions of the cartridge-chamber and the barrel. Fig. 8 is a plan of the revolv ing feedwheel detached. Fig. 9 is an end view of the lever for partially rotating the said feed-wheel. Fig. 10 is a horizontal section of the breech-block, showing the catch for holding the same back, as hereinafter described. Figs. 11 and 12 are sectional elevations showing a lever for operating the said catch. Fig. 13 is a plan of the connectingrod which is arranged between the spiral spring in the stock and the breech-block.

S indicates the stock, and B the barrel, of a rifle constructed according to my invention.

U is a chamber formed in the breech, in which chamber the breech-block O is free to slide, and in which other parts of the mechanism are arranged, as hereinafter described. To the front end of this chamber is fixed the circular magazine \V, in which a feed-wheel, w, is arranged to rotate upon a stud, 10, so as to bring the cartridges which are placed in compartments w of the said feed-wheel successively in line with the barrel.

The breech-block 0 slides in guides it within the chamber U, and has on its front lower side a projection or shoulder, o, having an extension, 12, which forms one jaw of the extractor hereinafter described. The projection a is arranged to slide in the groove w at the bottom of the uppermost compartment, 10, and thereby hold the feed-wheel w in position while each cartridge is forced into the barrel, fired, and withdrawn therefrom.

X is a connecting-rod bearing upon the rear end of the breech-block and moving in guides a in the chamber U. This connecting-rod is shown detached in Fig. 13. The rear end of the said rod,which extends through the chamber U into the stock S, is acted upon by a spring, S. This spring receives and stores the force of the explosion by means of the recoil of the breech-block G. The rear end of the breech-block O has two downwardly-projecting extensions, if, made with inclined surfaces, against which bear the prongs x of the connecting rod X, which is bifurcated, as shown in Fig. 28, to form a space, w in which the hammer Z may operate.

o is alever pivoted at o to the front end of the breech-block, O. This lever has a short arm, 1), which forms a jaw and acts in combination with the fixed jaw o, to extract the empty cartridge-cases. A rod, 12 acted upon by a spring, a and sliding in the breech-block O, presses against the jaw 12* to hold it in close contact with the head of the cartridge-case. The long arm of the lever o is inclined at its rear end, so that when the breech-block C recoils the said arm will come in contact with the cover a of the chamber U, and will be raised thereby, and the jaw a will thus be removed from the cartridge-case to permit the latter to be ejected. When the breech-block reeoils, the greater the resistance of the car tridgeease to being drawn from the barrel.

the more tightly will the jaw 12" press upon it, the lever o tending to move in the direction in which it is pressed by the rod o and spring 1).

The lever Y is pivoted to one end of the stud upon which the feed-wheel rotates. This lever has three arms, g/ 3 3 A spring, 1 is secured to the arm 3 and lies within a slot, 10*, in the said stud w. One end of this spring is arranged to act as an ejector. The other end bears against the part y of the stud w and retains the lever Y in its normal position. The arm f bears against the under side of the breech-block 0. block reeoils, the projection v thereon strikes the said arm 3 and forces it downward, thereby moving the spring f upward sufficiently to throw the cartridge-case from the compartment of the feed-wheel, into which it has been previously drawn by the extractor.

To permit the spring 3 to strike the cartridge-ease the feed-wheel w is provided with openings w, as shown in Figs. 3 and 8.

To prevent the empty cartridge-cases being drawn beyond the opening in the breech of the gun, if from any cause they should adhere to the extractor, I to the end of the stud 10 two small wings or projections, Q07, one of which is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. These projections fit into grooves r formed in the under side of the breech-block O, as shown in Fig. 6. WVhen an empty case is drawn back by the extractor, the said case strikes against the projections w, so that its further backward movement is prevented.

The partial rotation of the feed-wheel w to bring a fresh cartridge into alignment with the barrel is caused by the arm g and the extension 1) of the breech-block, which extension is beveled to correspond with the inclined surfaces 10 of the said feed-wheel, as shown in Fig. 8. When the breech-block in its recoil strikes the arm y" to eject a cartridge-case, the arm 3 is raised until its beveled surface 1 Fig. 9, impinges against one of the inclined surfaces 20 and turns the wheel it far enough for the extensionv' to engage with the said inclined surface, which extension on the next forward movement of the breech-block 0 turns the said wheel w so as to bring the next succeeding cartridge into position to be thrust into the barrel.

o is the firingpin, which passes through the breech-block O, and is normally held out of contact with the cap or priming of the cartridge by a spring, 22

The hammer Z is mounted on a shaft, Z, as shown in. Figs. 3, 4, and 5, which shaft has bearings in the sides of the chamber U. One end of the said shaft projects through one of the said sides and has a lever, Z fixed upon When the said breechit (which lever is also shown in Figs. 1 and 2) for cocking the hammer by hand independently of the recoil of the breech-block.

The hammer Z is acted upon directly by the mainspring Z and is made with the fullcock notch z and the half-cock notch z. The sear z is mounted on a shaft, 2 Against the full end of this sear bears a rod or bar, 2 supported at one end on the shaft Z, which passes. through a slot in the said rod. The other end of this rod is pivoted to the trigger Z*. WVhen the trigger is pulled, the rod z presses upon the sear 2 and forces it out of the notchz, thereby releasing the hammer, which rises and strikes the firing-pin o. A spring, 2 bears upon the back of the sear z and tends to hold it in engagement with the notch z or 2.

To set the gun at half-cock, the trigger is pulled far enough to release the sear z from the notch z, and the hammer is allowed to move forward (its too rapid movement being prevented by means of the lever Z until the said sear drops into the notch z, which is of such depth that the sear cannot be forced out of engagement therewith by the trigger.

In order to prevent the gun from being fired until the breech-block is home-that is to say, until it completely closes the breech-I provide a second sear or safety catch, a, mounted upon the same shaft as the sear z", and acted upon by the spring z This sear or catch is made with an extension to engage with a notch on the bottom of the projection 0 while its lower shoulder is adapted to engage with the notch z in the hammer. When the breech-block is home, the catch z is held out of engagement with the hammer, as shown in Fig. 3, and does not act. If the breech-block is not home, the said catch z remains in engagement with the notch z and prevents the hammer from being released by the sear 2 The lower shoulder of the catch 2 is slightly above the top of the sear z". This arrangement is of great importance, as it enables the sear z to always return into the notch z in case the hammer has not been released by the catch 2, so that when the breech-block O is forced home the hammer will not be released to fire the gun. The sear or catch a also enables successive shots to be fired automatically in the following mannerthat is to say, if the trigger is forcibly held out of engagement with the hammer against the force of the spring a which is hereinafter de scribed, the catch 2 will serve as the sear. In this case, when the breech-block recoils the said catch 2 engages with the notch z and holds the hammer Z in the cocked position until it is released by the projection o striking the catch z and releasing the hammer,whereby the gun is fired, and the breechbloek G then again reeoils, and the above-described operations are repeated.

As the action of this gun is very rapid, the person using the said gun might not remove hisfinger from the trigger in time to permit the sear z to engage with the hammeribeforethe gun has been again loaded. To obviate this difficulty I fix to the trigger a strong spring, 2 as shown in Fig. 4, and upon the end of the connecting-rod X, I provide a lug or projection, :0 When the breech-block recoils, the said connecting-rod is forced back, and as it reaches the rearmost position the said lug m impinges against the spring 2 and presses upon the trigger with an elastic force sufficient to cause the sear z, if not firmly held against such pressure, to engage with its notch z. The trigger can, however, be held back if it is required to fire the whole of the cartridges in rapid succession.

A cushion or buffer, U, of india rubber or other suitable material, is placed at the rear end of the chamber U to diminish the shock produced by the recoil of the breechblock.

A spring-catch, o is pivoted in one side of the breech-block, as shown in Fig. 10, so that when the latter recoils the said catch will engage in a notch in one side of the chamber U, and two shots cannot be fired in succession without disengaging the said catch. In combination with this catch I arrange a lever, U, having a cam-shaped end or eccentric. This lever serves for, effecting the disengagement of the catch from the notch, and by turning the said lever into the position shown in Fig. 2 the said eccentric will prevent the catch from entering the notch, so that the whole of the cartridges in the magazine can be fired in succession.

To hold the lever U in either of its positions, a pin, it, acted upon by a spring, is arranged in the said cam-shaped portion, and holes a are formed in one of the lugs a which carry the said lever. The pin a will enter one of these holes when the said lever reaches the limit of its movement in either direction. Between the said holes inclines are formed to enable the pin to move easily'from one to the other of the same.

By this arrangement the gun may be used as a breech-loading fire-arm, a fresh cartridge being inserted into the magazine for every one fired, so that the magazine is always full. This is accomplished by setting the lever U in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, so that each time the breech-block recoils the breech is held open for loading. By pushing the lever into the position shown in dotted lines at U the breech-bolt can be released, leaving the lever U in the proper position to enable the catch a to engage with its notch at the next recoil.

The gun shown in the drawings can carry only eight cartridges; but I may, if desired, enlarge the circular magazine, or arrange one or more supplementary magazines below the same, so that as the cartridges are used from the first magazine, fresh cartridges may be forced into the same from the supplementary magazine. This arrangement of magazines is advantageous, as it insures the first cartridge put in being first fired, and therebyprevents damage to the cartridges by their remaining too long in the magazine.

The operation of this gun is as followsthat is to say,thebreech-block C is first drawn back by means of the knob o, thereby compressing the spring S and cooking the hammer, the lever U" being turned, as shown in Fig. 10, so that the catch o will hold the breech block, back. Cartridges are now inserted in the compartments of the feed-wheel, which can be turned ..for this purpose. by hand. As soon as the magazine is filled, the spring-catch o is disengaged from its notch. The breech-block is then pushed forward by the spring S" and forces a cartridge into the barrel. The trigger is now pulled and the hammer strikes the firing-pin and discharges the gun. The force of the explosion causes the breech-block to recoil, and at the same time to extract the empty cartridge-case, which is ejected in the manner above described. As soon as the breech-block has reached the extremity of its rearward movement it commences to move forward again (unless prevented by the catch 12) by reason of the elastic force of the spring S, thereby rotating the feed-wheel, as above described, and bringing into position another cartridge, which is forced into the barrel and can be fired by pulling the trigger. These operations may be repeated until all the cartridges in the magazine have been fired.

It will thus be seen that the only part to be performed by the operator is to pull the trigger to fire the gun, the cartridges being inserted in the barrel, extracted therefrom, and ejected, and the hammer being cocked by the force of the explosion, and if the trigger be forcibly held back the whole of the cartridges in the magazine will be fired successively and automatically.

The cartridges used in the above-described gun are such as I have described in other applications as being made without a flange and having grooves or ridges around the butt for enabling the extractor to take a firm hold upon them. One of these cartridges is shown in the gun in Fig. 3.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a portable fire-arm or rifle, the combination,with the barrel, of a movablebreechblock, a spiral spring placed in the butt or stock, a sliding bar between the breech-block and the spring, an extractor carried by the breech-block, a feed -wheel for holding the cartridges to be fired, and gears or means for imparting an intermittent rotary motion to the same from the reciprocating breech-block, these parts being constructed and combined in the manner set forth, whereby the explosion of a cartridge in the barrel will cause the recoil of the breech-block and thereby extract the empty shell and store energyin the spring, which by its reaction effects the insertion of another cartridge and prepares the arm for the next discharge.

IIO

2. In a fire-arm, an extractor for removing the empty shells, consisting of a fixed jaw, 12,

forming part of the sliding breech-block, the

lever, composed of the jaw v and the arm 12, pivoted to the breech-block, and a fixed stop in the path of the arm 12 formed on or by the cover inclosing the breech-block, these parts being constructed and combined in such manner that the contact of the arm 12 with the stop during the recoil of the breech-block liberates the empty shell from the. jaws, as set forth.

3. In a fire-arm, the combination of the sliding breech-block, the cartridge-wheel w in gear therewith, so as to be intermittently rotated by the to-and-fro movement of the breech- .block, an extractor carried by the breechas 2 is combined with and operated by a trigger, and the other extending into the path of movement of a projection on the breech-block, so as to be operated by the same, as and for the purpose specified.

5. In a fire-arm, the combination, with a breech-case, a sliding breech-block, and a spring compressed by the recoil of the same, of aspring-catch, 0 pivoted in arecess in the breech-block, and eccentric U on the case arranged to act. on the catch through an opening in the case for'ilocking or unlocking the breech-block, as herein set forth.

6. In a fire-arm, a shell-extracting mechanism carried by the sliding breech-block, consisting of the jaw o pivoted to the forward end of the breech-block, in combination with the rigid jaw o and a spring-plunger, 11 that is contained in the breech-block and bears upon the pivoted jaw 'o, as set forth.

7. In a fire-arm, the-combination, with a sliding breech-block, a spring placed in the stock, and a connecting bar between the breech-block and the spring, of a trigger,z and a spring, 2 connected therewith, and extend ing into the path of a projection, 00 on the connecting-rod, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of December, 1884.

J. R. CLARK, J r., H. M. TAYLOR. 

